Lakeclan's imperfection
by Macygracie
Summary: In Lakeclan, every true warrior must be perfect. As soon as she opens her eyes, Icekit's world is shattered. Her first sight is of her parents being slaughtered by Foxstar in a bloody battle, and the image from the past still haunts her mind. But she must use it to find the strength she needs to change lakeclan forever.
1. Allegiances

**Hello Everyone! I have decided to make one of those warriors fanfics where every cat in the clan must be perfect! For an explanation on lakeclan and its ways, please wait patiently for a future chapter to explain. Hope you like it!**

Allegiances:

Lakeclan:

Leader: Foxstar: a russet tom with a white tail, black feet and yellow eyes

Deputy: cloudleaf: a white she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat: cedarfur: tabby tom with amber eyes

Warriors:

Antwhisker: black tom with amber eyes

Beechclaw: cream tom with brown eyes

Blizzardfur: white and grey spotted tom with yellow eyes

Ravenfeather: black she-cat with amber eyes

Batwing: black tom with dark brown eyes

Ottertail: brown she-cat with green eyes

Sootyface: dark grey tabby tom with green eyes

Grassfur: tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Hawkeye: speckled brown tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

Rainpaw: silver tom with blue eyes

Falconpaw: speckled white she-cat with green eyes

Skypaw: blue she-cat with yellow eyes

Mousepaw: pale tabby tom with dark brown eyes

Elders:

Crookedtail: elderly dark tabby she-cat with a broken tail and green eyes

Stone-eye: blind grey tom with clouded grey eyes

Flowerfoot: elderly silver she cat with green eyes

Queens:

Dognose: brown she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of antwhisker's kits, skypaw and mousepaw, and foster mother of Icekit

Dawnpoppy: ginger she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of sootyface's kits, Pinekit and Thornkit, and foster mother of splashkit, mistykit and stormkit

Kits:

Pinekit: dark tabby she-kit with green eyes

Thornkit: slim pale brown tom with amber eyes

Splashkit: blue she-kit with brown eyes

Mistykit: blue she-kit with yellow eyes

Stormkit: dark grey tom with hazel eyes

Omegas:

 **Authors note: Omegas are the non-perfect cats.** Limpleg: nearly blind tabby tom with hazel eyes and a limp

Scarnose: pale tabby she-cat with green eyes and a scar on her nose

Bloodfoot: dark tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a scar on her foot

Icekit: very pale ginger she-kit with ice blue eyes and a pink nose

Cats outside the clan:

Petal: tortoiseshell loner she-cat with hazel eyes

Star: black loner she-cat with white socks, green eyes and a white fleck on her left shoulder. Sister of petal

Eddie: Spotted tabby kittypet tom with amber eyes

Blade: dark ginger rogue she-cat with amber eyes and a white slash on forehead

Stone: dark grey rogue tom with amber eyes. Mate of blade

 **Heres a question for you all: why do you think Icekit is an omega? Reply in a review!**


	2. Prologue

**For this chapter, imagine you are a kit who hasn't opened their eyes yet. In this chapter, flamekit opens her eyes, so she doesn't know what sight and colours are. She is marveled by the world she can now see. By the way, the four things on her head are her eyelids, and the end of her paws are her claws, and thats why she trips over. Just needed to say that before you started reading. Hope you enjoy it!**

Petalfall lies in a nest of the softest moss, gathered by bloodfoot and raggedfur. in the curl of her belly lie four kits, two are blue, one is grey, and the other, the smallest, is very pale ginger. With closed eyes, they smell for the milk, and begin to feed. Rabbitleap and Foxstar come in to observe the kits.

"They are perfect. Which one was born first" Foxstar asks.

"The ginger one" petalfall replies, and starts to lick the ginger one clean.

"According to the laws of our clan" foxstar starts. "She must be named after our fallen leader. Hawkstar died saving mousekit from the fire around our thundering stone camp. In honour of hawkstar, this kit will be called flamekit after the bright flames that took him to starclan" foxstar announces. "The rest you shall name yourself"

"The blue one closest to my head will be mistykit" petalfall decides.

"And the grey one will be stormkit" Rabbitleap says, looking at stormkit.

"The other blue one shall be splashkit" petalfall announces.

"One of your kits has caught my eye" foxstar announces. "I think she would do well in falcon training".

Rabbitleap gasped. Petalfall smiled. To have a kit chosen for falcon training was a great honour.

"Flamekit is perfect. She is strong, and beautiful. Look at how she dominates over her siblings" Foxstar explains. The other kits were barely managing a sip of milk, because flamekit was hogging all the teats.

"What an honour" rabbitleap sighs. In the words passed down through generations of lakeclan warriors, petalfall started to speak.

"Flamekit, mistykit, stormkit, and splashkit" petalfall starts. "Welcome to lakeclan. May you serve long and well, and show no flaws for as long as you live"

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Flamekit yawned. She was full and tired from her big feed, and she wanted something to do. She mewed. Her litter-mates were too big, clumsy and weak to play with. So were dawnpoppy's kits. Dognose's kits were too strong, nearly ready to become apprentices. Although they were so old, dognose still had a little milk to give, which was very strange.

All of the older cats could sense things before flamekit could hear or smell them. Even now, grasspaw could tell that rainpaw was back from hunting even though he hadn't called out.

"Good hunting rainpaw?" Grasspaw calls.

"Yes" rainpaw replies. "We got four rabbits, and a vole hat literally ran into our claws. And look at the fish falconpaw got!"

How do they look? Thought flamekit. What is looking? But as her mother always said, cross each bridge as you get to it. But when would she get to the 'learn to look' bridge?

Flamekit wondered why some parts of her body could move for no reason. Her legs moved to walk, and her mouth moved to eat and talk. But the ends of her paws and two places on her head could move for no good reason.

She moved the ends of her paws, and started walking.

"Ouch!" Flamekit cried. She had tripped over. She decided that the ends of her paws were bad.

Flamekit tried moving the two places on her head. Then she realised that there were four parts that she could move. Each part was next to another one. What if she could move them apart. She tried.

Suddenly, a new clarity washed over flamekit. She couldn't explain it. Was this what it was to look?

All the scents locked into place. Mistykit was like splashkit, and batwing was like ravenfeather. Something moved. It was a shape she now recognised as a cat. It was petalfall.

"Look!" Petalfall calls. "Flamekit has opened her eyes!". More shapes move. More cats.

"Look at her eyes!" Ravenfeather gasps.

"They are beautiful!" Cloudleaf sighs.

"Like ice!" Ottertail realises.

"They are the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen!" Raggedfur says. The shapes move. Raggedfur realises that she has said something wrong.

"You have no right to look at this kit" rainpaw hisses.

"Some of your imperfectness might rub off on this kit" Dognose growls.

"This kit is Perfect, get away from her" dawnpoppy orders.

"You omegas shouldn't be allowed to even see us perfect cats" blizzardfur says.

"Flaw-born!" Beechclaw spat. Flamekit got scared. That was the worst thing you could call an omega that was born with their flaw.

"Can you go get some clean bedding, I really need some" flowerfoot says, with sympathy in her voice. She was one of the only cats who was kind to the omegas. One of the shapes moved quickly, and dissapeared.

"Watch were you're going!" Flamepaw hears a voice hiss. Foxstar. His patrol is back. Four shapes move towards her. Probably Foxstar, nightpaw, violetheart and hawkpaw

"Her eyes!" Nightpaw screeched. "They are flawed!"

"Do not speak such treason!" Flowerfoot hissed. "Her eyes are beautiful!"

"Where we come from, this 'beauty' is known as a mutation!" Hawkpaw yowled.

"Beauty is not a flaw!" Petalfall called.

"It is a mutation, mutations are imperfect!" Antwhisker screeched.

"Beauty makes one more perfect, powerful and complete!" Sootyface cried.

"We can take no chances! Our clan will become imperfect!" Beechclaw spat.

"Stop!" Foxstar screeched. "We will take a vote. If more cats think she is imperfect, she will be an omega. If more cats think she is perfect, she will be a true warrior. Cats that think she is imperfect, towards me. Cats who think she is perfect, away from me."

The cats split up. The sides were exactly even.

"She is perfect!" Rabbitleap called.

"She is a flaw-born" Nightpaw spat.

That was when the big fight started. Flamekit hid, and cried. How could this happen? She watched Rabbitleap lunging at nightpaw. Nightpaw moved just as rabbitleap bit. His teeth came down on his neck.

"No!" Rabbitleap screeched.

"You killed him!" Foxstar hisses. He aims a death blow at Rabbitleaps neck. It works. Rabbitleap is on the ground, dying. Flamekit starts crying.

"You killed him! That was deliberate!" Petalfall cried, and leapt at Foxstar.

"He deserved to die" foxstar hissed.

"Murder is a flaw" petalfall says coldly. "You are imperfect." That was the end of petalfall. Foxstar swiftly killed her. Flamekit wailed at her death.

"Stop the fight!" Foxstar calls. "The decision is made. Rabbitleap, petalfall and nightpaw are now dead. Flamekit is imperfect." Flamekit's heart turned cold.

"Raggedfur caused this!" Blizzardfur called. "She looked at the kit, and said her eyes were beautiful. Her imperfectness rubbed onto this kit!"

"You are right" Foxstar said. He killed raggedfur with a swift blow. "That is what you deserve."

The clan cheered. Flamekit cried.

"Nightpaw died trying to serve justice for an omega" foxstar called. "In honour of his sacrifice, he will be called nightheart. Hawkpaw fought well in this battle, and I need not make him promise that he will serve his clan and show no flaws, for he has shown that he is merciless to the imperfect. He will be called hawkeye"

"Nightheart hawkeye nightheart hawkeye" the clan cheered.

"And we have two new omegas to name tonight" foxstar announced. The clan gasps. "Violetheart." Foxstar said. At the mention of her name, the clan fell silent. Violetheart was Foxstar's mate. Was. "You have a scar on your nose. From now on, you take the role of omega. Your name will be scarnose"

"You are what your warrior name was" Scarnose spat. "A foxheart." The clan gasped. Scarnose stormed off.

"Flamekit. You are imperfect. Your name will be Icekit and you are an omega" Foxstar said. Icekit was stunned by the shortness of the ceremony. It just made her want to cry. And thats what she did.

 _You don't need to know my name. I walk through other cats memories. That is how I know all this. I know the view of every cat involved. This is a terrible thing to happen to a young cat. It is time to come back to the real world..._

 **Did you like it? This is probably the longest chapter I have ever writen, even though its a prologue! So, heres the question for you to answer... Why was foxstar so mean to his mate? There is a right answer, and I will tell you in the authors note next time. Until then, happy reading!**


	3. Chapter 1: omega, kit, omega, apprentice

**No one reviewed the prologue, so I guess no one is interested in foxstars relationship problems/mental problems. The answer is: foxstar never loved scarnose. For the next question, read on!**

I look at the sunset. 5 and a half moons have passed since I became an omega. Since my parents died. Since I lost the respect of the clan. I have lost so much, yet I can not cry, for omegas who cry are mistreated.

Hawkeye was the worst. He acted as if I was the one who caused nightheart's death, when in reality, he bought it upon himself. He was the one who condemned me to walk this lonely path.

I doubt I will ever become an apprentice. Foxstar hates me. Scarnose told me that he used to think I was special. Used to.

"The haul is in" Foxstar calls. "Come to feed on the prey our noble hunters have caught us." I know that this will be the last time he uses this call. It is only used in leafbare, and newleaf is coming fast. Too fast.

"Kits, come" foxstar says. I leap forward. "Not so fast omega" foxstar hisses. I step back, while the other kits choose what they want to eat. I choose a big fat squirrel. Dognose hisses.

"Omegas can't be choosy. They choose the smallest of the prey, and only after the others have eaten. They are unworthy of anything but the smallest morsels" dognose reminds me. I put down the squirrel, and choose a mouse that looks like it starved to death. Dognose nods. She approves. I know that petalfall, my real mother would not approve. I wish I had dawnpoppy as my foster mother, like my siblings.

The other cats go, first the elders, then the queens, then the medicine cat, then the leader, then the deputy, the warriors, the apprentices, and last, the omegas. The only thing left for the two omegas is a scrawny rabbit that died the same way as my mouse.

"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls. Since we are already gathered, there is no hustle. "Three kits are ready to become apprentices. Mistykit, stormkit, splashkit. You will now be known as mistypaw, stormpaw and splashpaw. Mistypaw, your mentor will be ravenfeather. Stormpaw, your mentor will be sootyface. Splashpaw, your mentor will be ottertail." I notice that he doesn't even recognise me.

"You have made a grave mistake" scarnose speaks up. The clan glares. "When Icekit was born, she was chosen for falcon training. She must be your apprentice." The clan gasps. I am speechless.

"Starclan has shown their disgust by making this stinking piece of fox-dung an omega. Even if she had normal eyes, she is still as small as a 4 moon old kit. Its either Icekit or Tinykit runt" Foxstar growls. I growl back.

"She must be an apprentice" scarnose snarls. "Or I will kill one of her litter-mates." I am shocked. My litter-mates look terrified.

"Fine" Foxstar hisses. "Icekit. You are now Icepaw. You will not have a mentor. The other omegas will teach you to serve your superiors without regret. You will never earn another rank but omega. You will never be a leader, elder or true warrior of lakeclan. For you are the lowest of the low, inferior to all others. You are a flaw-born. You will only get your warrior name if you prove to the clan that you are worth more than a piece of fox-dung" The ceremony shocked me. It only acknowledged that I am imperfect, and I will never earn a higher rank. It was cruel, and heartless. I did not like it.

I look at my litter-mates. Mistypaw looks at me with contempt. She hates me for embarrassing her family. As if. Mistypaw has Lakeclan's code written in her heart. She is so busy hating me that she isn't even happy about having ravenfeather as a mentor. She is respected throughout the clan, for she and hawkeye are the only ones in the clan who have had falcon training. Stormpaw looks so happy that he's an apprentice, but he feels sorry for me as well.

"Do not feel for the omegas. They are inferior to us in every way. We are doing them a good deed by letting them stay and serve the perfect cats of lakeclan" sootyface scolds. "And thats the same for you splashpaw." Splashpaw is looking more crestfallen than I am myself.

"Well lets go splashpaw!" Ottertail says cheerfully. "All your littermates can come too" she adds. I walk over.

"That stinking runt isn't my littermate" Mistypaw snarls.

"Yes she is. You're the worst cat in this family. I bet petalfall is wishing you were the omega right now. On the other hand, she could also be hating you, and wishing she'd killed you when you were born" splashpaw retorts.

"Thats it!" Sootyface spits. "Omega for a day." I gasp. Splashpaw starts sobbing. "Omegas are all lucky they aren't killed on sight. For them to serve us is a privilege. They will not be pitied, because they have more than they deserve already." I try to look at the silver lining. At least splashpaw will be with me on my first day.

"Come on, lets go!" Says scarnose cheerfully. We follow, and bloodnose joins us. The forest is amazing, full of the scents of prey I will never be allowed to catch. Full of signs of enemies that I will never get to fight. Full of beauties that I will never get to appreciate.

We collect moss for the entire clan. I realize that the omegas dared not to chat or laugh. As if they thought someone was watching them, waiting to pounce. Maybe it was splashpaw. She might dob them in so that she earns back her respect. Probably not.

But her vision of the forest was totally different to mine. Where I saw things I would never be able to do, she saw possibilities. Where a mouse could hide, where an eagle could perch, where cats could stalk. I know she will be an amazing warrior, even a leader one day. Though I doubt that foxstar will choose such a friendly cat as deputy. No, Mistypaw would be deputy. She is... Average, but her attitude to omegas is ruthless. Yes, she even rejected her own sister. How dedicated...

We get back to camp. We put the moss in the other dens, and we take the old moss to make our own nests. At least it changes daily.

I never realised how strong the omegas must be until now. Where the warrior apprentices get strong from training, and hunting, the omegas get strong by simply climbing up to their den each evening. No other cat could make it, and bloodfoot had to carry me halfway to the den. The den is a small cave near the top of the camp. We also risk our lives getting up to the den each day. The footholds are so small, only the most skilled can make it up here alive.

I remember a horror story I overheard the elders talking to my siblings about one day. Stone-eye told my siblings about an apprentice called petalpaw, who decided to go to the omegas for advice. When she was climbing, she wasn't strong enough to keep going, so she fell. I know thats how it really went, but stone-eye says that starclan pushed her off because the omegas don't deserve to be privileged. He then said that petalpaw became an omega herself, because one of her eyes was slit by a rock. Her name was sliteye.

Apparently the omegas den is all the way up there because it is so tiring getting up, that they will not want to slouch in their den all day if they had no work. But is truth, it gets so easy after a while, theres no problem. So thats what they do.

When we get in, I am shocked by the state the den is in. It looks like they haven't changed the bedding for moons! I slump down in a nest. It is so dry and hard, it will be impossible to sleep in.

"Don't make a sound, and follow me" bloodfoot whispers. She lifts up the nest I was sitting on. It reveals a tunnel. I follow her in. I walk through, and gasp. The omegas live in hidden luxury. There is fresh moss, and a trickle of water where the omegas can drink. It is clear as the sky. Better than the water the other cats drink! I see a cat in the corner I have never seen before.

"That's limpleg" scarnose clarifies. "Most cats have forgotten about him. He found this cave system."

"Hello" limpleg says. "We have a lot to talk about"

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I turns out the cave system is huge. It stretches most of the way around the lake, and in the biggest cave, a river runs down the middle. The moss in the hidden den actually grows there, so we seldom have to collect new moss. Well, for our den. It makes the other dens seem like rock! The den almost makes you glad you're an omega... Almost. But the way you are treated like mouse bile makes it too hard to bear. Warriors might not have such a good den, but they have respect. They are perfect, we are not.

I choose a place to sleep, but scarnose hurries me out. I poke my head out of the den. A cat is climbing towards us, slowly, but i'm glad we were out of the secret den. Otherwise she might have been suspicious. Its getting dark, and we should be in bed. Scarnose pokes her head out with me, and signals something with her tail. The others slump down in their beds. I start cleaning myself.

"Omegas are filthy creatures, for they will not show vanity and try and make themselves more beautiful by washing" cloudleaf meows as she gets to the den. I stop grooming. "The haul is in. Come down for your share."

I try climbing down. I succeed. I see a huge pile of prey. Noone can deny the omegas a good share, because if everyone ate as much as they could without bursting, there wold still be enough for a feast.

Everyone gets some food, and when the apprentices are called I step forward.

"Not so fast runt!" Foxstar growls.

"You eat with the omegas now, imperfect" hawkeye hisses. I see in his eyes that he is glad.

"You stinking piece of fox-dung shouldn't even eat our food. You don't do anything to earn it!" Mistypaw hisses. Foxstar smiles a sly smile. I swear he's half fox sometimes. I step back. I am glad that mousepaw and splashpaw leave lots for us. We have two rabbits to share. We climb up to our den, and start eating. We are full, which is a feeling that I don't think i'll have for a while. They'll start reducing the amount of prey, so we don't get plump like the perfect cats.

Plump is something i'll never be. I always wonder how the omegas can cope with hunger, and still look as well fed as the perfect ones. I seems impossible with the small morsels they are given.

We take the rabbits up to the den. Cloudleaf comes up with us. We eat in silence.

"Good" cloudleaf mews unexpectedly. "Foxstar was worried that you had somehow started a rebellion." She needn't have asked. How could we start a rebellion if there were so few of us?

"Don't worry, we are perfectly good omegas" limpleg laughs, and falls silent.

"Omegas will never be perfect" cloudleaf hisses. "I need to punish you." Oh no. Please don't push him off the edge, please don't push him off the edge!

"Sorry. I didn't mean that we are perfect, we are the filth of lakeclans world" limpleg says. Cloudleaf looks satisfied.

"Then this is what i'll do. I will tear your ear, and you will have no help in healing it. Stsrclan will decide if you die, if you live or if it causes any pain" cloudleaf decides. I am not sure whether I am glad or not. Limpleg winces when his ear is torn. It must hurt.

When I look on the outside, I see why the omegas den is not checked very often. The only way in is up the cliff, the brambles surrounding the camp are particularly thick here, to prevent omegas just falling down to the little ledge, saving a lot of hard work. Although it would be easy to climb up and escape.

I wonder why cloudleaf came. She barely ever comes up, she is probably haunted by the story of sliteye. She is very young, everyone suspects she was only chosen to be deputy because she is foxstars daughter.

I think that any other deputy would take a long time until they would dare go up this high. I don't think foxstar went up at all. Barely any deputy would dare. But i've heard that sometimes lakeclan changes camps. There is the thundering stone camp, the wind blown camp, the shadowed bramble camp, the rippling river camp, and the moon island camp. We have hidden luxury here in the thundering stone camp, but what is there in the other other camps? Why do we even stay in this prison?

 **Ok, so did you like it? Hope you did! Question for this chapter is: who did foxstar really love. Heres a clue: berrynose and honeyfern. So, try and work it out! Bye!**


	4. Chapter 2: the flood

**Ok, it looks like I have a few questions to answer here! First of all, the question from the last chapter needs to be answered. Good job flaymeskywing! You were very close! But the answer is... Drum roll... Dadadadadadadaaaaaaa scarnose's sister! A bit like berrynose having poppyfrost as a mate after honeyfern died... And, everyone is confused about why icepaw is an omega... Ok, so ice blue eyes, like she has, are known as mutations. Look it up on google, i'm too lazy to type it all up ? Oh, and if the emoji worked, tell me!**

It is raining heavily. So hard, I think the camp might fill up like the lake. Its dreadful weather, I don't know who would even be mad enough to be out in all this. But the omegas have to do their job, rain or shine.

I drag myself up, and out of the den. Half a moon, and I'm still not used to this. I don't think I will ever get used to it. Never, ever ever. Maybe. I get down to the bottom of the camp, and I see that the dawn patrol has stocked the fresh kill pile. The water has filled up the camp a bit, so every step I take splashes. I take a fat squirrel from the fresh kill pile, and take it to grassfur. Her kits will come soon, she must be exhausted.

I pad in, and dawnpoppy hisses.

"Not too close to grassfur runt. Your imperfectness will harm her unborn kits" she scowls.

"I'm just here to give you this squirrel" I sigh. I put it in grassfur's face.

"Don't you go anywhere near me you little piece of fox-dung!" Grassfur screams.

'Sheesh, I just gave you some food you ungrateful old crone' was what I wanted to say. Instead I just sighed.

"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting!" Foxstar calls. I rush outside.

"Didn't you hear Foxstar say 'perfect cats'? Get away, imperfect cat!" Mistypaw snarls. I climb up to the omegas den.

"Follow." Scarnose whispers. I do. We go into the caves, and at a certain point, I can hear foxstars words.

"Rainpaw, you are now rainfall. Falconpaw, you are now falconwing. May you show no flaws for as long as you live" he finishes. Mouse-dung! He just finished. I rush back to the den, but I feel water. I look over to the river cave. The river is flooding. Fast. I burst up to the den, and try to climb down calmly.

"Great starclan, can't you omegas give a perfect cat some peace?" Mistypaw hisses. Foxstar smiles a sly smile. I can tell that if foxstar was our age, mistypaw would be his mate. Mistypaw is devoted to foxstar.

I grab a fat mouse, and start eating it.

"Hey, thats too big for you runt! Leave everything for the perfect cats!" Rainfall yowls. I take a bite.

"Still want it rainkit?" I tease.

"No way, I'm telling foxstar!" Rainfall hisses. Oh no. But before he takes a step, water gushes out of the omegas den. Oh no. This is too much. The river is flowing out of the den. I brace myself for the impact. We will all have to use lakeclans skill of swimming.

"I can't swim!" Thornkit wails beside me. Oh no. He's right. The kits can't swim. I grab him by the scruff, ready to keep him above water, despite the fact that he is actually bigger than me.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't drown!" I say to thornkit.

"I'm glad you got to me before the yucky omegas" thornkit says. "Mama says to stay away from the bad bad omegas! She says that we punish them because they disobeyed starclan! They look so disgusting, with scars, and limps, and they smell of infections!" I wonder what will happen when he realises I am an omega. He will shriek.

The water floods the entire camp. We are flushed out. All I can do is try to keep both me and thornkit alive. Or wait for both of our deaths...

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I am alive. Thornkit is alive. And we are moving camps.

What a disaster. The omegas are lucky that our cave systems weren't discovered. We are unlucky that we are moving camps.

We have decided to move to the wind blown camp. The rippling river camp and the moon island camp are too likely to be flooded, and the shadowed Bramble camp doesn't have enough prey to last the perfect cats through winter. The omegas could cope.

And that is how I am here, in a muddy den, with muddy moss, and with muddy fur. There is no hidden luxury here. There is a huge boulder in the middle of the camp, with a den under it. Foxstars den.

The other dens are made of gorse, and brambles, impossible to break through, even for a badger. And waterproof. And falling to pieces.

For the cats used to having new moss every day, this will be torture. Because naturally, the omegas are assigned to remaking the dens. 5 omegas.

Because unfortunate as it is, the flood claimed two cats perfectness.

And one cats life.

Limplegs body was found floating by the lakeshore. They just left him there, no ceremony or anything. The omegas will grieve tonight. Icepaw, bloodfoot, scarnose, ottertail and thornkit.

Ottertail got half of her face ripped off. A big piece of twoleg junk did it. I hate to think of what Foxstar will call her.

And now thornkit is in here. I want to cry. It was all my fault.

We were swept out into the lake. We could only see ottertail. The sharp piece of twoleg junk was swept in by another torrent of water. Ottertail managed to live, but with only half her face. I didn't pull thornkit away in time. He got a huge gash along his shoulder. I got a huge tear in my ear.

I try to come back to the present, but it is too painful. Ottertail and thornkit. Maimed forever. Even the perfection couldn't heal their scars. The perfection. We omegas are forbidden to say its name, because if the perfection couldn't heal your flaw, starclan condemned you.

 _The present is more powerful than the past..._

What was that? I spin around. There is no cat in sight. Only me.

I put the voice out of my head. I search for more brambles, then I drag more than I can carry to the camp.

"Good job Icepaw!" Scarnose calls.

"Omegas do not deserve praise for what they do. Starclan condemned them to this task with a privilege, serving the noble perfect cats of Lakeclan" Foxstar calls. Back to his old self. Saying the words which govern our lives, and make us subject to scorn. I hate Foxstar.

We finish padding the dens, then Foxstar calls a clan meeting. I know what it's about. Thornkit and ottertail. I blot it out of my mind. As I brush the inside of the den free of spikes, I hear their new names. Half-face and floodkit. I guess there are just too many scarkits around.

We get moss, and we pad the dens fully, so every bit of inside is covered in moss. Way easier than doing separate nests.

When grassfur gets into the nursury, she can't help but gasp. We put little flowers in the moss, and we made some fake mice by skinning our measly share and stuffing the skin with grass.

"Yay!" Pinekit squeals. "Wait until thornkit sees this!" I burst into tears. Floodkit cries too.

"Your brother isn't our family anymore darling. He is now a disgusting omega, a disgrace to us all" grassfur hisses.

I remember the cruel things that are done to omega kits. I don't want it to happen to floodkit, but there is nothing I can do.

Nothing at all.

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When I wake up, I am sad. I remember all that has happened. Every bit of it. I look outside. Our den is part of the brambles surrounding the camp, and the entrance is outside the camp. We are isolated.

I think. One moon until floodkit becomes an apprentice. I know how sad that one moon will be for him. I remember how sad I was when I became an omega. I flinch. Foxstar is the core of all evil in my life.

I wonder which one is worse. Parents or no parents. I had no parents, and was scorned by all the cats I grew up with. But I always thought of dear petalfall and Rabbitleap as loving me, and every move I make. But floodkit... His parents are still here, he lost no cat... But his parents hate him. They only care because they have to. It is so cruel...

The flood has changed our lives. For half-face and floodkit, it marks the day their life fell apart.

I overhear foxstar in the clearing. He is talking with cloudleaf.

"Stone-eye and crookedtail are gone!" Foxstar yowls.

"No they aren't! You aren't saying the same about skypaw, are you?" Cloudleaf hisses.

"Thats because she is young and strong. Not old and frail like the elders!" Foxstar screeches. What an argument. I think it is obvious. Stone-eye and crookedtail are dead, because no cat helped them. Skypaw is good enough to swim. She might be alive, but the flood took many lives. Too many.

"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting!" Foxstar yowls. I stay in my den. I can see the ceremony from here. And I know what it's about anyway. Blizzardfur is becoming an elder.

well, that clears the elders den of imperfects. But why should I be happy about that? I wish I had their life. Being deformed without being scorned. Revered for many seasons of service.

But that was not to be. For I am a flaw born. They never get honoured with anything. Simply getting a warrior name is a privilege to us. I wonder how I will ever get mine. I wonder if I will ever get one...

I remember the voice in my head from yesterday. It was strange... It was female, I'm sure of that, but it came from nowhere. No, it came from inside my head. As I think about it, I hear it again.

 _Come find me in the star..._

Where did it come from? And how could I find it? Is it a message from starclan? Questions buzz in my mind. But there is no cat who can answer them...

 **ok, sorry for leaving it so long before I added the question! Ok, do you want skypaw to live or die... It is your choice. Her life is in your paws... So throw it away if you want to!**


	5. Chapter 3: every half-moon

**Hello everyone! since no one decided Skypaw's fate, you have one more update to answer! If not, I decide myself. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

It is one moon since the flood, and Mistypaw is still going on about how brave rainfall was. 'Barely a warrior' she says. "Rescued flowerfoot despite being smaller than she was' she says. I rescued floodkit despite being smaller than him. I was barely an apprentice! It just goes to show how much omegas are thanked for their work.

I heard that foxstar woke up shaken this morning. He had been shouting 'Ice! Ice!' The whole night. Even now, as I eat a squirrel with floodkit, he glares at me as if i'm poisonous. Well, I am according to the clan. Foxstar sighs as if giving up. Giving up what, I don't know. But he jumps up onto the boulder. I know what it is. Pinekit's apprentice ceremony.

"All cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls. I realise that he didn't say perfect. This is one of the rare meetings that the omegas are allowed to participate in. "One kit is ready to become an apprentice. Pinekit. You will now be known as pinepaw. Pinepaw, your mentor will be dognose. Floodkit. You are now floodpaw. You will not have a mentor. The other omegas will teach you to serve your superiors without regret. You will never earn another rank but omega. You will never be a leader, elder or true warrior of lakeclan. You will only get your warrior name if you prove to the clan that you are worth the food we give you" Foxstar hisses. I realise the difference between floodpaws ceremony and mine. I feel sad.

"His name should be slashkit" batwing mutters.

"As we are all aware, when we get older, we are not as perfect as we once were. Beechclaw and blizzardfur are ageing, and wish to relocate to the elders den. Their wish is granted. May starclan give you many seasons of rest, and excuse any imperfections you aquire" foxstar calls.

"Pinepaw! Pinepaw!" The clan calls. No-one congratulates floodkit on making it this far.

"As you might be aware, last night I had some... Dreams" foxstar starts. My belly twists. Usually a bad dream is seen as an omen that there are too many omegas and they must be killed. By why give floodpaw a ceremony if he's just going to die?

"What is this about?" I hear splashpaw mutter.

"Starclan is angry. When Icepaw was born, the malum hid an imperfection under her closed eyelids. I thought she was perfect. I chose her for falcon training." I gasp, as does the rest of the clan. "I cast her away, for imperfection is evil, but I also disobeyed starclans noble law. A Falcon must be chosen at birth, and must be trained. So starclan is angry, and sent me the dream. From now on, every half moon, Icepaw will be a Falcon, and true warrior for a day."

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That was the last thing I remember before waking up in the medicine cats den.

"Thank goodness you're awake!" Splashpaw sighs.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You fainted!" Splashpaw exclaimed.

"I did?" I say, confused. I look outside. It's getting dark. "I'd better get into the den" I sigh.

"Oh no, you sleep in the apprentices den tonight! Tomorrow is your first day as a true warrior!" Splashpaw says excitedly. I walk to the apprentice den. I always see the apprentices den as an extra chore, an extra place to put moss. A bad thing. But never have I thought about the other point of view. I swiftly fall asleep.

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I wake up. I have just had the most glorious sleep of my life.

I get up, and stretch. I groom my fur, thankful to be able to do it in public, without any cat saying one of lakeclans virtues. 'Omegas are filthy creatures, for they will not show vanity and try and make themselves more beautiful by washing'. What a lie.

"Come on Icepaw, come and eat with us!" Mistypaw calls. I choose a tiny mouse. "No no, leave that for the omegas, choose that fat squirrel!" She laughs, with a hiss of contempt at the word omega.

I eat, and I realise how good squirrel is. I've never tasted squirrel before. Most of the time, the rule for omegas is share a rabbit or eat a mouse.

"Icepaw and Mistypaw!" Foxstar calls. "And ravenfeather too. Follow me." We trek into a part of the forest forbidden to omegas. Apparently there is no good moss there. I can now tell you firsthand that is untrue.

There is moss everywhere. And kit-pelt moss at that. Kit pelt moss is named after how soft it is- as soft as a kit's pelt.

"So, let me teach you how to hunt" foxstar says.

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The sun hasn't even fully risen, and we already have ten mice! And a rabbit! I caught the rabbit and three of the mice. Foxstar says I am a natural hunter.

But I can't help thinking about the other omegas.

It is like I changed overnight. Like my eyes changed colour. To green or something.

I guess that I am going to be working all day. Hard. But when we get back to camp, Foxstar says something unexpected.

"You did well icepaw. Go and rest. You deserve it" he says. I don't argue. I see that my siblings are sunning on a rock. I go sit with them.

"Hey bloodfoot!" Mistypaw sneers. "Go get us two rabbits!" Bloodfoot nods, and gets us two rabbits, the fattest in the pile. We eat. It tastes so good to eat a rabbit that has more meat than bones, and is so fat it could float a twoleg.

After we finish the rabbits, we can rest for a while. But soon enough, Foxstar comes to take me out.

"Splashpaw, Icepaw and Hawkeye!" Foxstar calls. "We are going to do battle training." I'm not surprised. I have to learn a lot.

We go to the same clearing. Foxstar shows us a move. He balances on his back legs like a twoleg.

"You need to have perfect balance to do many advanced moves. Splashpaw, by the end of the session, you need to be able to stand on one leg for half the time of Icepaw." Foxstar explains.

"Thats not fair!" Splashpaw protests.

"Yes it is Splashpaw. She is in falcon training, the whole point of being a falcon is being better than others, being an elite force that can save Lakeclan from any harm, and protect the perfection from the malum. After you have done this exercise, visit the elders for their wisdom. All of your siblings can." Foxstar explains.

I try and balance on one leg. I balance for a few seconds, then fall over.

"Try two first, and for little amounts of time, before attempting to balance on one leg!" Hawkeye advises us. I try that, and I fall over. This might take a while...

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It does. Even longer than hunting! But it still isn't sunhigh. Not even close. We walk through the entrance, and I see mistypaw fetching a rabbit. Stormpaw is just coming back from patrol.

"You all have the afternoon off" Foxstar announces. "Go to the elders for their wisdom" he says. We pad to the elders den.

"Hello young'uns. What story do you want today?" Flowerfoot asks.

"The best ones!" Stormpaw answers.

"Ok then, you might be in here for a while" blizzardfur warns us.

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He tells us all of the stories of lakeclan. The code, the virtues, and the stories of punishment. They are the apprentice wisdom stories, but the kits listen to the legends, of the five clans that became lakeclan, and the good deeds our good leader has done. Well, the elders call him good. But in my heart, I know he is the most evil cat alive...

 **So, this updates question is: what should grassfur's kits be called? If you don't answer, they will be called marshkit and mallowkit. Get it? See you soon! Hopefully...**


	6. Chapter 4: the stories

**thankyou so much everybody! After the last update, the number of the reviews doubled! So i'm gonnna do a shoutout to all the people who have reviewed/followed/favourited the story! Kayixxu, DNAcat, lazerkat, flaymeskywing, plasmablast, superbailey, darkfur3, luvbooks1, guest, waterleaf, luckystarsuniverse and sanders1800! Special thanks to luvbooks beacause most of the reviews last night were from her! Thanks! Virtual cookies and a question at the end! These are just a few lakeclan stories from the elders... Enjoy!**

lakeclans code of perfection

Falcons must be chosen at birth

The first born kit after a leaders death must be named after the old leader

All imperfect cats must become omegas

Omegas must do the unpleasant things that perfect cats wouldn't enjoy

If a cat becomes imperfect while they are an elder, their imperfections are excused

Imperfect cats must be named after their flaws

Death is a punishment, not a hobby

Kits become apprentices at six moons

Any punishment is suitable for omegas

Any affection for an omega will be severely punished. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once upon a time, there were four clans living by a lake. Thunderclan, windclan, riverclan, and shadowclan. Thunderclan lived in a camp of thundering stone, windclan lived in a wind blown camp on the moor. Riverclan lived on an island on the raging river, and shadowclan lived in a camp of shadowed brambles. Every moon, they would meet on moon island to share news. There came a time, when twolegs built many twolegplaces around the lake, but never in the clans territory. They never came back to the lake, because they had decide to protect the lake as a national park.

The clans knew that their biggest enemy would never bother them again, so they merged into one big clan, called lakeclan. They were perfect, and starclan was pleased, so they gave lakeclan the perfection. The perfection is a secret known only to the medicine cat, and removes nearly all uglyness. But sometimes there is a rare occasion where even the perfection cannot heal a cat. They are imperfects.

They threw out the imperfects to do the dirty work, because starclan gave them a gift, and they abused it. But then there were some that were imperfect from the moment they they were born. They were called flaw-borns, and they are lower than any imperfect.

But a great leader had an idea. Highstar the great made a new rank. Omega. The omegas collected moss all day long for the perfect cats nests. When they moved camp, they repaired the dens. But never did they get new moos for themselves. They took the old moss from the perfect cats nests.

Every cat was happy. Lakeclan was perfect, and would be perfect forevermore!

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The malum is the enemy of starclan. It lives in the dark forest, and comes down to lakeclan to make cats imperfect. It is evil. Very evil. It makes the perfection useless and weak. We protect starclans gift with falcons, elite warriors that will protect the perfection from the malum and anyone else who wants to put an end to its power.

Falcons are chosen at birth, and trained by the leader to be better than any other warrior. To become a warrior, they must bring something from twolegplace to the camp. They have a quarter moon to do this. No other warrior could do it. But the Falcons can.

Because of these noble cats, the perfection has stayed away from the malums hands for seasons beyond memory. But the malum is cunning, and will stop at nothing to destroy perfection forever...

 **Ok, here are your virtual cookies! They will rain from the sky just below, after I do the question! So, to get the word malum, I used a translation app. So, what does malum mean in english? Here are the**

 **Cookies! (::)**

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	7. Chapter 5: changing the law

**hello! Malum means evil or bad in english, great job bloodyfeather! Warning, if you really don't like blood, skip to the long paragraph at the end where bloodfoot is talking.**

Not a day has passed, and once again I'm being treated like a dirt sandwich.

Grassfur is kitting, and I want to help. Bring her food, moss, anything to help the newest generation of lakeclan warriors. Hawkeye walks out. The screaming has stopped.

"There is a blue tom called waterkit, a tabby tom called bramblekit, a black tom with a white stripe called badgerkit, a grey kit called silverkit, and a kit with tortoiseshell patches called maplekit" hawkeye boasts. I would too if I were in his place. They are perfect kits, something I will never be.

But my days of being a true warrior will be my safe haven. My refuge. My escape from a place that I hate, but never leave

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Bloodfoot is worried that Maplekit will be imperfect. Foxstar has been looking at her in a strange way. She is tiny, so much smaller than the other kits. Like I was, but I was strong. "We need to change something. One of the cruelest things for a kit is to be named a name like twistedkit, or brokenkit, or crookedkit from birth. Something needs to change!" Scarnose protests.

"We need to challenge the code!" Bloodfoot insists. "I will ask tonight."

"Foxstar will never accept" I say. "Never."

"But if we get supporters, then he will have to accept" floodpaw adds.

"He's right" half-face sighs. "If we have enough supporters, our life might be easier."

"I will ask, tonight" bloodfoot says.

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"Never!" I hear Foxstar roar. "We will not let the omegas have any privileges!" I can hear him from the den. I hear mumbling from inside. Then a mix of a growl and a sigh from Foxstar.

"All cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls.

"Whats this all about" blizzardfur grumbles.

"I have had a suggestion from one of the omegas. To remove the rule that omegas must be named after their flaw" Foxstar says.

"What?" Spits Hawk-eye.

"Never will we succumb to imperfectness" Blizzardfur calls.

"The law keeps us from straying off the path of perfectness!" Dognose protests.

"Without our law, our clan will be overtaken by the Malum!" Grassfur cries in fright.

"What rights do they even have anyway!" Mistypaw spits.

"None. I expected this reaction, so here is the deal. We vote. If more cats go on the same law side, the law stays the same." Foxstar says. Now I see his angle. He knows many will choose the same law side. We will not win. I obviously choose the different law side. To does the rest of the omegas and flowerfoot, splashpaw, pinepaw, Ravenfeather and falconwing.

"You are outvoted, and the law is not changed" Foxstar says triumphantly.

"But we are prepared to fight for it" Scarnose hisses.

"And we have an advantage!" I call. "We are not afraid of becoming imperfect!" Foxstars fur fluffs up. Sootyface shivers. I realise that bloodfoot is missing.

"Fight then! We are better, and have the perfection on our side!" Foxstar screeches. Everything turns into an all-out battle.

"Aim for the eyes! The perfection can't heal eye wounds!" Half-face calls. I lunge at hawkeye, and scratch and tear his face like there's no tommorow.

"Stop!" I hear a voice call. Its bloodfoot! "Stop the fighting!" She calls. We do. She has a kit in her mouth.

"Bramblekit!" Grassfur cries. "Put him down you malum-ridden piece of fox-dung!" I wince.

"If Foxstar doesn't change the rules, I will kill this kit!" Bloodfoot hisses.

"You're just bluffing! You would never kill a kit!" Hawkeye spits. I see bloodfoot, high up on leaders rock. She bites. A bloody bramblekit is thrown in Hawkeye's face.

"Would you like to answer again?" Bloodfoot hisses. Hawkeye is shocked.

"I should have guessed. I should have guessed that an imperfect would have no respect for the perfectness of kits!" Hawkeye gasps.

"Like the look of terror on your son's face, knowing that you could save him, but didn't, because of a law not worth one piece of fox-dung!" Bloodfoot hisses. Hawkeye is horrified.

"No! Bramblekit! The perfection! The perfection! It will heal your scars!" Grassfur cries.

"He is long gone" Foxstar says calmly. "Death is a punishment, not a hobby. Your wish is not granted, you disobeyed the code that you are bound to follow."

"I never made a promise to follow it, nor protect it" bloodfoot says.

"That doesn't mean you should break it!" Hawkeye yowls.

"I've got a spare kit to kill!" Bloodfoot teases, and holds up the rest of the kits. "But this time, I will take out their eyes, and let them die in agony in front of your very eyes hawkeye." I feel sick.

"No! Don't let her take away the life of our kits!" Grassfur cries, and screams.

"Fine, you get your stinking wish. But no names will be changed. You all deserve your names for what you have done!" Foxstar yowls.

I can't believe it. We got our wish, but for the greatest price. One kits life.

When we get back to the den, every cat looks at bloodfoot.

"You've got some explaining to do" half-face hisses.

"And fast" I snarl.

"I had a dream" bloodfoot sighs. "A cat called sparkstar came to me. She is from starclan. She was the one who led the clans when they were merged, and she had blood from every clan, even the forgotten one, that was reborn. She said that when he opened his eyes, bramblekit would be perfect, but condemned by the rest of the clan, because he would have had ice blue eyes like you. She said that because Hawkeye was so devoted, she wanted me to preserve his honour. I made sure bramblekit didn't suffer. He would have had a sad life if I had let him live. It was the right thing to do." I am shocked. I am shaking.

"But that means..." Scarnose says.

"Icepaw is perfect" half-face says. "In the eyes of starclan."

"But that means that hawkeye lied" I hiss. "He would have deserved it. He condemned me to live this life for no reason."

"Nightheart and Hawkeye hated rabbitleap. They did it to punish him." Blodfoot says.

I slump down onto the moss. Now I understand the dreams, and everything that has ever happened to me. I go to sleep and have nightmares. Lakeclan, destroyed in the battle to decide my fate. Nightheart and Hawkeye, plotting to bring my world crashing to the ground. I can still remember my first sight. Rabbitleap killed. Petalfall murdered. My world will never be the same. Now I understand. I will get my revenge on hawkeye, for he condemned me, killed my mother and father, and still makes my life living hell.

 **Well well well, I added a twist! Icepaw perfect, still an omega, finally I've done something creative that isn't inspired from another book! Yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay! (::) cookies! (::) hope you liked the chapter! Now the question is: how is my life as sparkfur and lakeclans imperfection connected? Ha ha ha... Go figure. Bye!**


	8. Chapter 6: eagle strikes

**Ok, I know I haven't updated in ages, but I've been really busy! I have five fanfics going at once, I am trying to force myself to finish warrior cats got talent and I have been bonked on the head with a ton of homework. (4 Australians of the year and history! Groan...). The answer to the last question is... Sparkfur becomes sparkstar, the one that came to bloodfoot in a dream! Yes she created lakeclan. Yes she was inspired by a fanfiction. Yes she made a big mistake.**

Half a moon has passed. All of Grassfur's kits have opened their eyes, and I wake up on my day as a warrior.

I groom myself, and I think. On average it takes lakeclan apprentices three moons to become a warrior. I wonder whether my ceremony will be an omega ceremony, or a falcon ceremony. Probably an omega one.

"Time to go hunting!" Foxstar calls. "I'll take Icepaw, Splashpaw, Mistypaw and Stormpaw. They need to learn to hunt and fight birds of prey. No other hunters will go out today." I follow Foxstar outside, and I look at my litter-mates. They have had so many more opportunities, yet I still catch up with them fairly easily.

We take the path to the Talon tree. The tree was struck by lightning years ago, and now Birds of prey nest in it. I notice a mouse. I pounce, and kill.

"Great. We need some bait" Foxstar meows. He puts the mouse down at the stump, and an eagle swoops. "Attack!" Foxstar calls. We do. I treat it as a piece of prey, and leap on the neck. I kill the bird.

"Great job icepaw!" Mistypaw calls.

"Yes. The key to fighting birds of prey is to mix fighting moves and hunting moves. But unlike fighting other cats, badgers, and foxes, we aim to kill. An eagle can feed the entire nursery" Foxstar explains.

We catch six more eagles, and a hawk, and head back to camp. Mistypaw is running ahead, because she needs the perfection to heal one of her cuts. But as we approach the camp, I see Mistypaw waiting for us. She looks worried.

"While you were away, an eagle attacked!" She cried. "It took Badgerkit!" Oh no. Grassfur must be devastated.

"I need to have a word with you Antwhisker" Foxstar calls, and pads into his den. Antwhisker walks in too. A moment later, Foxstar jumps up to the boulder.

"Are you sure about this?" Antwhisker whispers.

"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls, ignoring Antwhisker. We all gather. Grassfur has been crying over the loss of badgerkit, I can see the undried tears on her face. "We are gathered here to name a new warrior. Mousepaw, step forward" Foxstar calls. Mousepaw bounces ahead. "Do you promise to serve your clan, and how no flaws for as long as you live?" Foxstar asks.

"I do" mousepaw says.

"Then from this day onward, you will be called Mouseheart!" Foxstar calls.

"Mouseheart! Mouseheart!" The clan calls. Mouseheart looks so happy, he might burst.

"Icepaw!" Foxstar calls. I wait. "Can you entertain the kits? I need to comfort Grassfur." Thats funny. I wouldn't think Foxstar would be kind enough to comfort her. But I guess he doesn't want the clan to think he's a rotten leader.

As I walk into the nursery, I see Hawkeye. He sighs, and leaves the den.

"I wish I was a warrior!" Silverkit sighs.

"Like Hawkeye and Mouseheart and Rainfall!" Maplekit squeals.

"Well, what do you want your warrior names to be?" I ask.

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It takes forever. Silverkits ideas for her name were Silverheart, Silverclaw, and Silverpelt. Waterkit insisted her name would be Silverannoying. I think her favourite was Silvershade though, her eyes gazed into the distance when she said it. Waterkit insisted on Waterstorm, or he wouldn't be a warrior at all. I highly doubt that. Maplekits favourite was Mapleflower

Listening to these kits' dreams of warriors glory, I think of my future. A future of collecting moss, and having fun every half moon. A warrior name for me will probably be ice-eye. Or icepelt. Or worst, Iceheart. My heart is not made of ice. Nor are any of the other omegas' hearts. We all have living, beating hearts that feel the same as every other cat.

 **Can't be bothered to write anymore now. Heres the question: do you want me to make icepaw & siblings warriors in the next chapter? You decide! People who vote get a digital cookie (::) and a shoutout!**


	9. Chapter 7: the Mirror

**Hello! Sorry I haven't updated for a long time, but I have been drowned in homework, and it is hard to write fanfiction when you are drowning. To find out the answer to last chapters question, read on!**

As I head back to camp, I can't help but look forward until tomorrow. One day as a true warrior. One day of acceptance. One day of freedom.

As I pad into the Nursery, grassfur steers her kits away from me.

"I've got another name! I've got another name!" Silverkit squeaks.

"Get away from that rotten piece of fox-dung Silverkit!" Grassfur growls.

"Silverpool! Silverpool!" Silverkit squeals. Grassfur cuffs her over the ear.

"You can help her _Silver_ " Grassfur hisses. I flinch. If a cat is called by only their first name, its automatic omega for a day. Poor Silverkit. She has been exited to tell me any new ideas she has, but she needs to learn. Learn that she can never like me.

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"You are having your warrior assessment today" Foxstar announces. I gasp. I thought that he would make me do the omega ceremony. I guess his heart is a little less frozen than I suspected.

"Mistypaw, Stormpaw, Splashpaw. You need to bring back 3 birds of prey. Each. Icepaw. You have trained as a falcon. You must bring back one useful twoleg item from twolegplace. Usually you would have a quarter moon, but given the... circumstances... You only have one day" Foxstar explains. I knew there was a catch.

"Good luck" I sigh.

"Good luck!" Splashpaw squeals. As we walk to the thorn barrier, I look to the closest twolegplace. There is a den there grander than all the rest, so I think i'll look there. I start walking.

When I get to the twoleg barrier, I squeeze through. I leave a few tufts of light ginger fur behind, clearly indicating where I went through.

I see another cat. It comes towards me. I see it is black with white socks, and it has a fleck of white on its shoulder.

"Hello" she says.

"Hello!" I say. "Do you know where I can find any useful twoleg junk around here?"

"Oh, you mean humans" the cat purrs. "You came at the right time! Big is coming out soon with his rubbish! My names Star by the way. Whats yours?"

"Icepaw" I say. "Take me to this 'big'."

"Sure!" Star purrs. We walk towards the entrance to the grand den, where the monsters come out.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I ask. Monsters are scary.

"Yeah! Come down here, this is my den" Star says, and hurries down a hole covered in brambles. I follow. There is another cat down there, a tortoiseshell one.

"This is petal" star tells me.

"Hi" petal whispers.

"Where is this big!" I ask, starting to get frustrated.

"Oh, he comes in about half an hour" Star purrs. But before I can wonder what half an hour even is, I hear a screech.

"I can scent them" A female voice hisses.

"Those idiots have taken in another one of the lake perfects" a male voice yowls in contempt. I trot out.

"Lake perfect cat. Surrender or die!" The female hisses.

"Do you mean Lakeclan?" I ask.

"Yes! And you are the Falcons, sworn to protect the rule against special, unique and resilient cats who are good cats, yet they have a life worse than hell! Die imperfect fiend, excluder of the unique!" The male screeches.

"Wait! Wait!" I yell, before they kill me. "I am one of the rejected. I am imperfect. I am not one of them!" The cats stop.

"I am blade. This is stone. We were once part of the clan. As bladefur and Stonefall. We disagreed with the omegas, so we left, to build an army to attack lakeclan, and win back omegas rights" The female sighed.

I see a monster coming towards the entrance, and I hide.

"It's Big! It's Big!" Stone calls. I force myself to stay calm. When the monster gets down, one of the monsters mouths opens, and a twoleg hops out. So does a kittypet.

"Hi Eddie!" Star purrs.

The twoleg puts some junk down, and purrs to us in weird ways. I think its affectionate, but you can never tell with twolegs.

"Hi. Who are you?" Eddie asks.

"Icepaw. From lakeclan" I say.

"I've heard about them from blade and stone. You throw out imperfect cats don't you?" Asks Eddie, puzzled. I think of blades original reaction to me. I can see why he's puzzled.

"Actually, i'm one of the cats they threw out. Long story" I explain. I look at the sun. It's past sunhigh already!

I rummage through the stuff the twoleg left here, as Eddie hops back in the monster and the monster rumbles back up to the den. I find something and I stop.

Its like a still lake, but its hard like stone. It is about the size of a twoleg's face, and has fake paw marks on the corner. But that is not what I am interested in. I am interested in my reflection.

I have never seen my reflection before, because omegas are only allowed to drink at certain parts of the stream where it flows so fast it is just a seething mass of white. Omegas are forbidden to see their reflection, and even on my warrior days foxstar has avoided the lake.

I have seen my fur before, and I have thought how strange it looks in a field of browns and blacks and whites. The most similar fur to mine is Foxstars, and that thought always makes me want to stop thinking about my fur, and start thinking about moss. But my face is amazing. My nose is different to other cats, bright pink instead of black. And my eyes. The things that condemned me to live a life of shame. They look like ice, cold enough to pierce the fiercest of fires. I can see why there was a huge fight about my rank.

"Its a mirror!" Petal explains.

"I need to go!" I say. I really do. Taking this 'mirror' back to camp might take a while. I pick it up using a soft strap on the back, and I run back to the forest. Well, go back to the forest as fast as I can with a soft strap in my mouth. I see the camp up ahead.

As I burst through the tunnel, and into Foxstar's den, the clan stares at me. Foxstar is grooming in his den.

"I got the useful twoleg item!" I gasp. Foxstar looks surprised, but then overjoyed.

"This thing is amazing Icepaw! A gift from starclan! You have well and truly passed your warrior assessment" Foxstar exclaims. I am so excited! Today is the day I recieve my warrior name!

As I rush down to eat, I see my siblings, eating a rabbit. Each. I fetch one too, and walk over to them.

"We all passed!" Splashpaw squealed. "We all become warriors today!"

As we chat, and fill ourselves with plump rabbits, I think, this is how life should be. Siblings, chatting laughing, sharing, whether they're perfect or not. This is why I want the code of perfection to crash an burn. This is why I want Stone and Blade to succeed.

"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls. This is it! Now I become a warrior! "We are gathered here to name some new warriors. They have passed their assessments, and will now receive their warrior names. Splashpaw, step forward" Foxstar calls. "Do you promise to serve your clan, and show no flaws for as long as you live?" Foxstar asks.

"I do" Splashpaw says.

"Then from this day onward, you will be called Splashdawn! Stormpaw, step forward. Do you promise to serve your clan, and show no flaws for as long as you live?" Foxstar asks.

"I do" stormpaw says.

"Then from this day onward, you will be called Stormbird! Mistypaw, step forward" Foxstar calls. "Do you promise to serve your clan, and show no flaws for as long as you live?" He asks.

"I do" Mistypaw says.

"Then from this day onward, after your dedication to our code of perfection, you will be called Mistyheart!" Foxstar calls. A moment goes by, and no cat makes a sound. Where is my warrior ceremony? "As you might know, another apprentice passed her assessment. But she still needs to show she is worthy, and she must do her omega ceremony!" Foxstar hisses coldly.

"No! Thats unfair!" Splashdawn cries. But nothing can stop Foxstar. He holds the entire clan in his paws.

"Splashdawn! Stormbird! Mistyheart! Splashdawn! Stormbird! Mistyheart!" The rest of the clan chants.

"Come with me, young Splashdawn" Foxstar hisses.

I don't know what Foxstar will do to her, but it will be something bad. I can only think of one thing to do, and I do it. I run into the forest, and cry.

 **So, did you like it? Icepaw didn't. Oh no. And question for this week is... Do you want me to write shorter chapters, but more frequently, or same length chapters less? Another you decide the fate of icepaw question. Ciao!**


	10. Chapter 8: Birds of prey are just prey

As I wake up, I know what I have to do. I have to become a warrior like my littermates. It will get me some respect... Well, as much respect as a flaw-born omega can have. I see eagles soaring overhead. I look at maplekit, silverkit and waterkit. They are the eagles prey. I see Mistyheart and Foxstar looking up as well. I don't think that cloudleaf will be deputy for much longer.

The whole clan is looking up now, but the kits are still playing happily. An eagle swoops. The kits are hurried inside, but they miss silverkit. I leap over her just as the eagle swoops. I see the camp far below me, as the eagle snatches me up.

I am dropped in a nest, and I see three hatchlings, with ugly closed eyes. The eagle flies off. To get more food I guess. Well, baby eagles grow into adult eagles, so I kill them. I also crush the eggs of the other birds of prey.

I climb down, and head back to camp. They can't deny me a warrior name now. As I burst into camp, I see weeping cats. Dognose is ordering everyone around.

"You! How did you come back alive? Get to work! Bury Waterkit!" he snaps.

"Waterkit is dead? Why did you not tell me before you told me to bury him? Who died and made you deputy?" I hiss.

"Cloudleaf died and Foxstar made me deputy if you really want to know!" Dognose growls.

"I need to talk to Foxstar" I say.

"I'm right here!" Foxstar hisses. "What is it!"

"I crushed the eggs and killed the hatchling birds of prey. I deserve my warrior name!" I growl.

"She's right. She saved us from about 25 birds of prey" Mouseheart puts in.

"Fine" Foxstar hisses with a growl of defeat. "All cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting!"

"What is this! My mate is traumatised, she needs time to get over the loss of waterkit and silverkit! She has only one kit left now, and it needs to be guarded with our lives!" Hawkeye growls.

"Icepaw has shown that she is worth the food we give her. Her Omega name will be Iceflower. May she never be praised for anything she does!" Foxstar yowls. Noone cheers. But I like my name. Iceflower. I am glad I have it.


	11. Chapter 9: temporary deputy

Its a few moons after my omega ceremony, and Mouseheart is following me around. Ever since he agreed with me, and helped me get my name, he has this strange look on his face whenever I look at him.

Dognose is having kits again. I can't believe it. This is her fourth litter!

She is going to go to the nursery today. The temporary deputy will be chosen at sunhigh. I am going to try to finish moss duty early, so that I can watch the ceremony. As I put down the moss in Grassfur's nest, she hisses at me.

"Maplekit gets a separate nest. Not there, near the back!" She yowls. I make the nest.

"All cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls. I rush out, glad that I can watch. Everyone gathers, and Foxstar starts. "We need nominations for a new deputy!" He calls. According to our laws, a new deputy must be nominated by a cat other than the clan leader before they are chosen as deputy. No cat raises a paw.

"Maybe..." Mouseheart squeaks.

"Maybe what?" Foxstar asks. I know what he's thinking. He's hoping it's Mistyheart.

"Iceflower!" He blurts out. I open my mouth wide. There is no way in the world that I can do this!

"That's ridiculous!" Foxstar screeches. "She's an omega! She is the filthy scum of lakeclan!"

"But you happened to forget that it is one of her days as a warrior!" Mouseheart challenged. I can't believe it. I forgot too!

"Fine!" Foxstar hissed. "But surely there is another nomination!" He looks around. No cat moves, or speaks.

"There are no more nominations" Flowerfoot stated.

"Fine" Foxstar hissed. "It's only temporary anyway."


	12. Chapter 10: Not so temporary

Dognose is kitting. And screaming the camp down.

Which is why I am actually enjoying collecting moss. I couldn't stand being in the camp any longer. But unfortunately, I am carrying moss in every way possible, and there still isn't enough room for any more. So I have to go to camp. Hopefully Scarnose will volunteer to make the nests, so I can get back out.

But when I get back, the clan is silent. A bloody body is carried out of the camp. Dognose. Was there an eagle attack? But then everything click into place. Well, more of a boom crash yowl crack than a click.

I see where the blood is coming from, and my suspicions that dognose was killed by eagles are confirmed. I also realise that the deputy has died. I also realise that the obvious choice for the new deputy is the temporary deputy. AKA me.

"There you are Iceflower" Foxstar calls. "Come here." I can sense the contempt in his voice. The way he spat at the word 'Iceflower. The way he looked like he was trying to restrain himself. I pad into his den.

"What is it" I ask.

"Well, you are now deputy" Foxstar states. "We... Decided while you were gone. But if you're deputy, you need to be a warrior more often. Every second day, and every night in the warriors den. On your omega days you will still be a warrior, but you will still collect moss."

"Yes" I meow. I am ecstatic! This is so awesome! "Can I catch prey when I am collecting moss?"

"In leafbare" Foxstar answers. "But you won't be collecting moss for a while. Both dognose and Antwhisker died, leaving the kits with no mother and no name. You need to take their place. On your omega days until the kits are apprentices, you will be a queen." I wonder whether Foxstar is mad. Sometimes I think he has a twoleg's brain, mixed with some fox brain.

I leave the den, and I pad down to the nursery. Mistyheart is in there now, she came in only a few sunrises after Dognose. She hasn't kitted yet, but she will soon.

"Hi Iceflower!" Mistyheart purrs. I take a step back. Only yesterday she tore my ear for 'going too close to her perfect kits'. Gah. What nonsense. Nonsense that I will never hear again.

"Well, here is your nest" Grassfur sighs. I look at the kits. There are three kits. Two are black, like their father, and one is a very pale tabby. The black ones are male, and the little tabby is female. One of the black ones has a white foot. I slump down into the nest, and the little ones start crying for milk. Poor things. They were with dognose for such a short time... They must think I'm their mum!

"Do you still have milk?" I ask Grassfur. "They are two young to have prey, and Mistyheart's milk hasn't come yet."

"Only a little bit" Grassfur sighs. "But it should hold until Mistyheart has her kits. And they don't need a drink. They were drinking when Dognose was attacked. They can wait until tomorrow morning."

"Good" I mew. "But we still need to name the kits."

"No" Mistyheart sighs. "You are their foster mother, you are the one who needs to name them."

"I'm not sure how to name them!" I wail.

"Don't worry" Grassfur soothes. "There is always a time when kits think about other names they would want. And there is always one kit that says that he is happy with his name and would never change it. Try and make sure that your kits will be those kits."

I remember that game. But it was always sitting at the side, never suggesting anything. Omega kits are forbidden to play with the other kits. I remember that image I have been trying to forget for so long. My parents, dying. My name, changed. I know what I wanted. My original name. Fire, not ice. Heat, not cold. Love, not cruelty.

"The black tom with the white foot will be Moonkit" I meow confidently. "And the other tom will be ravenkit. The she-kit will be Firekit"

"Moonkit for his foot." Mistyheart meows. "And Ravenkit for his pelt. But why Firekit?"

"Because I still remember" I say. They both know what I mean. I still remember the night my parents died. I still remember my first name, Flamekit.


	13. Chapter 11: Forever

Leafbare has come, and so has blackcough

I'm worried about Splashdawn, she was the first one to get it, and she is constantly coughing. I'm also worried about Mistyheart, her kits still haven't come! The kits I am responsible for are waking up, so I decide to get up while they feed.

Foxstar is in a rage. His anger propels him up onto the rock in a flash.

"All cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls angrily. The clan gathers, yawning. "Last night, someone went into my den and murdured me in my sleep! Now I only have three lives left! Someone will pay!" He yowls. But he can't finish, because Mistyheart yowls from the nursery. There is only one explanation. Her kits are coming.

When I go in, there is already a little blue kit digging for milk. I hear mistyheart murmur that it is a kits I look after are back in my nest, wailing. I run in, and start licking them softly. Ravenkit opens his eye a crack. I gasp. He opens the other one, and then I see his eyes. They are a beautiful amber colour. I shield him from Mistyheart. I don't want his first sight to be of Mistyheart kitting.

I look behind me. The screaming has stopped, and there is another kit next to her, a tortoiseshell patched she-kit. Rainfall dashes in, and sees his two new daughters.

"They're beautiful," he whispers.

"Yes," Mistyheart purrs. "What will we name them?"

"What about... Blossomkit for the tortoiseshell, and Bloomkit for the blue one?" Rainfall asks.

"Perfect names for perfect kits" Mistyheart purrs, although I hear a tad of contempt in her voice. Contempt aimed at me.

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The next day, Foxstar drags me out of the nursury, and grabs the kits I have begun to think of as mine.

"What are you doing!" I cry.

"You are deputy now! You are a former omega! You killed me twice, and you will pay!" Foxstar snarls.

"I didn't I swear!" I cry.

"She is telling the truth," Mouseheart admitted. "How do you think she killed you?"

"Starclan told me that she killed me by snapping my neck!" Foxstar hissed.

"Did they tell you it was her? Or do you just assume that?" Mouseheart hissed. It's the first time I've seen him so aggressive, and the kits are starting to yowl in fear. Ravenkit is looking at the situation with wide eyes, and I see firekit open her eyes a crack, and then open them fully. Her eyes are a deep purple, and at first I think I'm dreaming. But no, I'm not, because I can still hear Mouseheart and Foxstar arguing. And dreams are never this realistic.

"Who else would kill me!" Foxstar yowled in rage.

"If she did kill you, there would be some sign! Blood, water from the stream to wash her paws, anything!" Mouseheart snarled. Even I'm getting scared now.

"Fine. But I've only got two more lives left. Next time I loose a life, I will be just as strong as a normal warrior!" Foxstar hisses, and drops my kits. They squeal in shock. I rush them into the nursery.

I have no idea who this killer is, which is all the more frightening. But what if they're not just after foxstar? What if they're after all the cats of power? What if they're after me!

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Well now she's gone and done it.

Splashdawn was behind the night murders. She's always been fond of me, even in my omega days. But this took it too far.

Despite how sick she was, she still did this. For me. And I know how she got away with it too. Until tonight.

The signs Mouseheart was talking about were all over her, but everyone just assumed she was coughing up blood. It makes me shiver.

But tonight, she had a loud coughing fit just after she murdered Foxstar for the third time. Foxstar woke up, and so did Cedarfur and I. Cedarfur yowled that she should be in her nest. Foxstar yowled that she was to be executed immediately. But before Foxstar did it, her ragged breathing stopped. She died trying to make my life better.

The only good thing is, now, Foxstar trusts me. But Splashdawn didn't get a vigil. Her body was mutated by Foxstar, and she was ripped apart. Her remains litter the camp, as a reminder of what happens to traitors. In the middle of all this, Moonkit came out and opened his eyes. He has green eyes. I can't believe the times these kits open their eyes!

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Half a moon later, Mistyheart's two kits have opened their eyes. But something is wrong. Their eyes are ice-blue. Now my kits are fed before them, and Mistyheart sounds like she hates them. But I can hear the note of pain in her voice.

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"All perfect cats gather beneath our perfect leader for a clan meeting" foxstar calls. I walk out, and my kits follow me.

"Iceflower?" Moonkit asks.

"Yes moonkit" I purr.

"Why is Foxtar calling?" He asks. I laugh. His constant mispronunciation of Foxstar is annoying, but funny.

"Because he wants us to come and listen to us" I answer.

"I need a cat, a trusted cat, to be my guard and assistant" Foxstar announced. "Mistyheart has shown how fiercely loyal she is to the code of perfection. Come up on to the rock Mistyheart!" Mistyheart hops up, and she opens her mouth to give a speech.

"I'd just like to say that..." Mistyheart pauses. "You've chosen the wrong cat!" She snarls, just as she delivers a fatal bite to foxstar's neck. His blood, and life bleeds into the ground. The clan gasps. "My life has been ripped apart by the code of perfection. First my sister, then my only two kits."

I never knew she was bothered. I think it was her kits that broke her heart. She never really knew me, before my eyes opened. But now I realise. I am leader now. I am in control of Lakeclan. And... I can change everything.

"Iceflower is leader now," states Mouseheart.

"I know," I say. "And I am going to be the greatest leader Lakeclan ever had." I know what to do now, and I won't hesitate is doing it. I jump up the rock. "All cats gather beneath me for a clan meeting!" I call, even though everyone is already gathered. They gasp.

"You can't do that!" Hawkeye hisses.

"Yes I can, I am leader now," I say.

"You can't be leader! You're an omega!" Hawkeye spits.

"But Foxstar made me deputy," I say. "And since I am leader, there is no more omegas. Our code will be changed. It will no longer be the code of perfection, it will be the code of honour!" I say. Half of the clan cheers.

"You can't do that! You are denying the will of starclan! I will be leader, if most favour me!" Hawkeye snarls.

"You are the one disobeying starclan Hawkeye. Because I don't think Starclan wants another hawkstar." I say. "Now I have something important to do. All omegas step forwards!" I call. The four omegas do.

"What is this mutiny!" Hawkeye yowled, enraged. I ignore him.

"Floodpaw. You were once called Thornkit. Your new name will be Thornheart, in honour of the great heart you must have had to get through the terrible time of mistreatment." I call.

"What are you doing! You can't change this!" Hawkeye snarls. Still I ignore him.

"Half-face. You were once called ottertail. You have regained that name, because you deserve it more than anybody. And Scarnose. You were once Violetheart. You have now regained that name, along with all it's dignity and honour. And finally, Bloodfoot. What was your first name?" I ask.

"Sweetpaw," she whispers.

"Then you will now be named Sweetheart, because you have been an omega for longer than any cat I know," I finish.

"Thornheart! Ottertail! Violetheart! Sweetheart! Thornheart! Ottertail! Violetheart! Sweetheart!" The clan yowls.

"Maplekit, step forwards," I say. Grassfur smiles. Maplekit squeals with excitement. "You have reached the age of six moons. You are now Maplepaw, and your mentor is Stormbird!"

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw!" The clan calls.

"And this is the last ceremony," I call. "Pinepaw, step forward." She does.

"You can't just take out her oaths! We need to keep Lakeclan pure! We cannot allow the filthy, loathsome, foul, obscene, putrid, repulsive, impure, revolting, vile, squalid, verminous scum of cats take over lakeclan!" Hawkeye screeches. The long line of insults makes me flinch.

"She will say her vows, I promise," I tell Hawkeye. "Do you promise to protect and serve your clan, even at the cost of your life, for as long as you live?"

"I do" Pinepaw says.

"Then from this day onward, you will be called Pinefrost!" I call.

"Pinefrost! Pinefrost!" The clan calls. I hope I did well to convince starclan that I will be a good leader. Because however much they have shown their support, I'm still not sure if this is just luck. So starclan might not accept me.

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But they do. Because soon enough, I am receiving my final life. Splashdawn is padding forward to give it. Around me are so many cats... But this one is the one that truly puts tears in my eyes.

"I died giving you my final gift. The leadership of lakeclan." She starts. "I am glad to be back with our parents at last, but I wish I had stayed with you for longer. I give you a life for doing what is right, no matter how hard it is." I am knocked off my paws by an invisible force. Will it really be this hard to do what is right? But the feeling is soon gone, and my experience is over.

"Its..." I shudder. "Its over."

"Yes," Splashdawn says with pride. "I hail you by your new name, Flamestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of LakeClan. Defend it well, care for young and old, honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code, live each life with pride and dignity." I gasp

My original name is back.

This is all I ever wished for.

No cat will ever have to suffer what I suffered ever again.


End file.
